New vs.Used games

Today I write about a serous topic. The debate between new and used games. During the last few weeks their have been reports/rumors about how the new consoles will block the playing of used games. I would usually take this as hearsay but now with the PlayStation successor could be revealed on February 20th(IGN will have all the latest) some of these reports could be coming true.

When I was thinking of a topic for my next blog piece I came a cross the video of Game Scoop. You can see the video above. This episode of game scoop was a about the pros and cons of an always-connected game console. Always online is a form of DRM(digital rights management) which locks out used games. Verifying that you have a disk and so on. Steam is already a always connected. Used games are not aloud on Steam. You are buying a licence to play the game unless you have physical disk, then you have still verified the code comes in the box. Let's get back to the topic of used games.

I asked some of my friends and some on Facebook a question about used vs. new games. The results were split pretty evenly between them. Some liked the new game because they had a bad time when they bought a used game and it did not work. The others wanted the used copy because of the price. I also asked them if the new consoles were to "lock out" used games would you buy it and what did you think about this. All of them did not like this. Most of them saying that would be unfair to the consumer and businesses like Gamestop. I understand this. I don't like to pay too much for my games but that is the price to play. In the video Colin Moriarty(IGN editor and shaved head guy) said something that had resonated with me "Sony does not make money on hardware but on software". This is true.

Look at who gets the profit of the used game is Gamestop and other used game sellers. Not one cent goes to the developers. The developers put a lot of time and effort in these games and they deserve to get some money. It is not like I am not for used games and in the box for new games. I do regularly buy new games so I may not be the best to write about this topic. Preparing for this topic I was thinking was could work to solve this problem. Then it dawned on me the "Food Web". OK, you will have to adopt it for games but it could work. Think of it as this. You buy a new game and then beat it. Next, the game companies and developers could offer you a "deal". You trade your new game into them or your local Gamestop, in turn you receive the digital version of the game and a coupon off your next new game. Gamestop or the game companies will refurbish the disk and give it a new code for verification. When some one goes in to buy the used version of the game there will be a .5 to .10 cent tax on the game for that whole process. I know this system is flawed but it is the best I can think of.

What do think of this New vs. Used debate? New or Used? Would you get a new system if they lock out used games? Are there any ideas you have to fix this problem? Answer in the comments below. This is your friendly neighborhood MXAGhost writer... Signing off for now.